A blog about homesteading, homeschooling, and gardening, with a dash of humor and sprinkle of sarcasm. Also a lot of ranting about...um...everything. (All opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect those of my employers, clients, fellow homesteaders, or the world at large.)

About Me

Country Wife is a freelance journalist/blogger/writer who lives on a small farmstead in central Ohio with her husband Eöl (pronounced Owl), and her youngest daughter, the infamous Little Sis. She is grandmother (Nanny/Nana) to four grandchildren, Chipmunk and Bear being the local ones.
Come join her on her various homesteading adventures (and misadventures).

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

I can't see the forest for the...

I really can't take credit for the lovely seedlings. I taught Little Sis how to care for them, and she's done it daily.
Here are a few tips for starting seeds indoors:

Water: keep them moist, but don't overdo it. Rainwater is best, if you have it.

Turn: if seedlings are in front of a window, they'll stretch toward the sun. Turn them a few times a day. They get a nice back and forth work out, and don't get so leggy/spindly.

Brush: brush your hand back and forth across the seedlings (very gently) a couple of times a day. This helps build strong, healthy, stocky stems; outside, a breeze would do this naturally. You can also turn a fan on them a few times a day (don't blow them off the table!).

Timing: if you start your seeds too soon, you'll need to re-pot them once the roots fill up their starter cells. I started mine early on purpose; maybe I'll have a few extra plants to sell.

2 comments:

Lookin' good. Mine aren't as advanced -- but they are doing pretty well. Still waiting for peppers to emerge. They are always so slow. I remember reading about the "brushing" trick. I'll have to try that. :)